Vending machine



Jan. 9, 1934.

E. MIHALEK VENDING MACHINE Filed Sept. 10, 1930 4 Sheets-Sheet l E. MIHALEK VENDING MACHINE Jan. 9, 1934.

Filed Sept. 10, 1930 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 E. MIHALEK VENDING MACHINE Jan. 9, 1934.

4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Sept.

Jan. 9, 1934. E. MIHALEK 1,942,440

VENDING MACHINE Filed Sept. 10, 1930 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 .ELUQWW Patented Jan. 9, 1934 UNITED STATES VENDING MACHINE Emery Mihalek, Chicago, 111., assignor to 0. D. Jennings & Company, Chicago, 111., a. corporation of Illinois Application September 10, 1930 Serial No. 480,856

14 Claims.

This invention relates to vending machines, having reference more particularly to vending machines of the multiple magazine or compartment type. Unscrupulous customers sometimes attempt to beat these machines by depositing a single coin and then manipulating the delivery mechanisms of two or more of the magazines. To prevent this, it has heretofore been known to equip the machine with article delivery devices for the respective magazines which are normally inoperative, and a selector mechanism by which the delivery mechanism of any particular maga zinc is first placed in operative condition, so that, when the coin is dropped and the article delivery mechanism operated, the machine delivers an article only from the selected. magazine.

The object of the present invention is to provide a simpler means for preventing the operation of more than a single article delivery mechanism at a time, this being accomplished by the use of means controlled by, and actuated simultaneously with the operation of, each of the delivering devices which automatically prevents the simultaneous operation of the others, such means preferably including normally inoperative separate delivery devices, means for simultaneously conditioning all of said devices for operation, and interlocking means that serve to prevent the operation of all but one or" said devices.

I have herein shown the present invention as applied to a multiple magazine vending machine wherein each magazine and its article delivery mechanism is broadly of a known type wherein the articles, which may be in the form of rollshaped packages of confections, gum, or the like, are released one at a time through the medium of a rotary star wheel projecting through a wall of the magazine, the star wheel being normally locked against rotation by an escapement lever, and released by coin-controlled means actuated by a push button. In the preferred form of the invention herein illustrated and hereinafter described, the mechanisms which release the star wheels are normally maintained inoperative by a conditioning device, which latter is first shifted, by coin-controlled mechanism, to a position to render the star wheel releasing mechanisms operative, so that the several delivery devices can be operated, and associated with these latter is a device, controlled by each of the delivery devices, by means of which, when any one of the delivery devices is operated, all the others are simultaneously locked against operation.

As above stated, the conditioning device by which the several delivery devices are norm-ally maintained inoperative, is itself actuated to star wheel release position through the manipulation of a coin-controlled mechanism. In order to prevent the setting of the conditioning device to operating position in a fraudulent manner, my present invention also includes an automatic locking mechanism so designed as to be inoperative during the normal and regular operation of the coin-controlled mechanism which sets or cocks the conditioning device, but operative when it is attempted to set or cock the conditioning device in a fraudulent manner. The mechanism also preferably includes an improved full stroke compelling mechanism; that is, a mechanism which renders it impossible to manipulate any of the delivery devices during the operation of the conditioning device setting mechanism, thus compelling a full stroke of the latter before the 76 delivery devices can be operated.

To facilitate a full understanding of the improvements forming the subject matter of the present invention, I have, in the accompanying drawings, illustrated one simple and practical embodiment thereof, the details of which may be widely varied within the purview of the invention, and briefly describing the several views-- Fig. 1 is a rear elevation of the lower portion of the article magazines or compartments, broken away at the ends, and showing in part the article delivery mechanisms, the conditioning device, and the interlocking device for preventing manipulation of more than one delivery mechanism at a time.

Fig. 2 is a plan section through the lower portion of the article magazines and the article delivery devices, taken on the offset line 2 2 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 3 is a vertical transverse section taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2, but showing the conditioning device in normal idle position, and also showing at the right in elevation the fraud-preventing and full-stroke-compelling devices.

Fig. 4 is a vertical transverse section similar to the left hand portion of Fig. 3, butshowing the conditioning device cocked to operating position. I

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary vertical section taken on the line 5--5 of Fig. 2, showing a part of the interlocking mechanism of the delivery devices.

Fig. 6 is a sectional detail taken on the line 6-6 of Fig. 2.

Fig. I is a detail horizontal section taken on the line 7--7 of Fig. 5.

; (Figs. 2 and G).

Fig. 8 is a detail View, showing one of escapement levers in release position.

Referring to the drawings, 10 designates the bottom wall of a suitable cabinet in which the mechanism may be housed. Attached as by screws or otherwise to the bottom wall 10 is a hollow L-shaped casting 11, stepped on and secured. to which latter is a vertical plate casting 12. Attached to the plate casting 12 are a group of vertical rectangular sheet 'metal magazines or compartments 13, each adapted to contain a column of cylindrical packages R to be dispensed by the machine. Extending across the lower front portions of the magazines 13 and secured at its ends to the opposite side walls of the plate casting 12 is a hollow cover member 14. As shown in Figs. 3 and 4 the vertical plate casting 12 is formed near its lower end with an inclined shelf 12 underlying the lower open ends of the magazi cs 13. By this shelf the articles as de livered are directed one at a time into the hollow cover plate 14 and from the latter down into the hollow trough-shaped casting 11 from which they can readily be picked up.

Referring to rigs. 1 and 2, on the back of the frame plate 12 are end and intermediate bearing lugs or brackets 15 and 16 respectively, journaled in and through which is a shaft 17, on which are loosely journaled spaced pairs of star wheels 18, the wheels of each pair being connectedby a hub or sleeve 18. The star wheels of each pair project through vertical slots in the rear walls of the frame plate 12 and back walls of the magazines, as clearly shown in Figs. 3 and 4, and normally support the column of articles R in each magazine. By the intermittent or stepby-step rotation of these star wheels under the weight of the column, the successive lowermost articles are allowed to drop into the delivery trough 11, in a manner well understood in machines of this type.

Mounted in the bearing brackets 15 and 16 and disposed parallel with the rod 17 is a rod 19, on which are pivotally mounted a group of esthe ; oapement-levers 20, one for each pair of star wheels 18. The upper arm of the escapement lever 20 engages with the teeth of one star wheel of each pair in the manner clearly shown in Figs. 3 and 4 to normally prevent rotation of the star wheel in a counter clockwise direction to release the lowermost package for delivery. The lower limb of the lever 20 is formed with a depending toe 26 which, in the normal operation of the mechanism, is adapted to be struck by a jpivoted pawl on a cooking bail forming part of the conditioning mechanism to swing the upper arm of the lever out of engagement with the star wheel, as hereinafter described.

Describing now the actuating mechanism of the escapement levers 20, each of the latter is normally drawn into engagement with its star wheel by means of a pull spring 21 anchored at one end to the frame plate 12 and at its other end to the hub 23 of the lever. Slidably mount- 1 ed in bosses 14 on the cover plate 14 are push buttons 22, one for each magazine. Pivoted at 23 to the under side of a fixed bracket plate 24 soldered or otherwise secured to the inner face of the cover plate 14 is a straight flat bar 25 Pivoted at 26 on each end. of the bar 25 is a shorter bar 27 having on its ends upstanding apertured lugs 28. Riveted at 29 to the top surface of each bar 2'? are a pair of symmetrical but oppositely disposed angle strips,

' 1 each comprising an arm 30 overlying the bar 27,

and a rearwardly directed arm 31 that extends between adjacent magazines 13, as clearly shown in Fig. 2, and through a slot in the frame plate 12. The rearwardly directed arms 31 of each pair of strips to lie side by side, and their inner end portions are spread apart slightly and narrowed vertically to form shoulders 31' (Fig. 5).

Referring to Fig. 1, the reduced end portion of each arm 31 is passed through a slot 32 in a wing 33 that is formed on and preferably integral with a swinging trigger member 34 best shown as to its form in Figs. 5 and 7. The ad jacent triggers 34 of each associated pair are suspended at their upper ends from a pivot rod 35 mounted in lugs 36 on the frame plate 12. On the lower end of each trigger 34 is a laterally projecting foot 3'7 (Figs. 1 and 7) to which is connected one end of a pull spring 33 anchored to a bracket 39 on the frame plate 12, whereby the trigger 34 is normally drawn forwardly to retract the push button 22; it here being noted by reference to Fig. 3 that the reduced shank of each push button 22 is preferably encircled by a cushioning spring 40 bearing against a button 41 carried by a screw 41' mounted in the lug 28. The lower end of the trigger 34 is also formed with a laterally projecting ledge 42 (see Figs. 1, 5 and 7) that constitutes a cam for the tripping back to idle position of the conditioning mechanism, as hereinafter described.

Referring now to the conditioning mechanism, 43 designates a cooking ball, the upstanding arms 43 of which are pivoted to the end brackets 15 so as to allow the horizontal limb of the bail to swing through a short are beneath the lower ends of the escapement levers and the swinging triggers 34. On one end of the bail 43 is a depending arm 44 (Figs. 3 and 4) to which is connected a pull spring 45 anchored at its other end to the casting 11, by which the bail 43 is normally drawn and held in forward position (Fig. 3) wherein it renders inoperative all of the article delivery devices. This cocking bail 43 carries the pawls by which the several escapernent levers 20 are actuated to release their respective star wheels. These pawls are shown at 46, each pawl being pivoted at 4'! between a pair of ears on the rear edge of the bail 43, and having a tail 46' to which is connected one end of a pull spring 48 that is anchored at 49 to the forward edge of the bail 43, so that the pawls 46 are normally tilted upwardly to operating position as shown in Fig. 3, behind the cooperating toes 20 of the escapement levers 20. When, however, the cocking bail 43 swung rearwardly to the position shown in Figs. 2 and 4, the pawl 46 rides under and is depressed by the foot 37 of the trigger 34 with its tip below and behind the toe 20 of the escapement lever ready, when released by the foot, and when the cooking lever is allowed to swing back, to strike said too and thus disengage the escapement lever from its star wheel, as shown in Fig. 8.

When the cooking bail 43 is swung rearwardly to the position shown in 4, it is temporarily locked in said position (until released by an inward thrust on one of thepush buttons 22) by mechanism comprising a rock shaft 50 mounted in and between the end brackets 15, a radial-stop pin 51 (Figs. 3 and 4) on said shaft 50, and a stop lug 52 on the upper side of the cooking bail 43; the shaft 50 being normally urged in a direction to lower the pin 51 into the path of the stop lug 52 by a pull spring 53 (Fig. 1) connected at one end to an upstanding pin54 on the other end of the shaft 50 and anchored to a. pin on the bracket 15. Referring to Figs. 1, 4, 5 ands, on the shaft 50 are other radial pins 51', one for each trigger 34, each of said pins 51' being formed with a laterally bent free end 51 (Fig. '7) that overlies the cam ledge 42. When a button 22 is pushed inwardly, and the lower end of the trigger 34 is pushed rearwardly, its foot 37 rides off the pawl 46 allowing the pawl to tilt upwardly, and the cam 42, acting through the pin 51, rocks the shaft 50 and raises the stop pin 51 out of engagement with the stop lug 52, allowing the cocking bail to swing back by gravity from the position shown in Fig. 4 to that shown in Fig. 3.

In doing this, the nose of the pawl strikes the too 20' of the escapement lever, thus freeing the star wheel and allowing a package to be delivered, as more fully described later.

Before any of the article delivery devices can be operated to release and deliver a package, the cocking bail 43 must be swung from the position shown in Fig. 3 to that shown in Figs. 2 and 4; and, in practice, this swinging movement is effected through a coin-controlled mechanism. In Fig. 3 I have shown one simple form of actuating mechanism for the cocking bail, omitting however the coin controlled feature which forms no part of the present invention. Slidably mounted in a keeper 56 attached to one of the side walls of the cabinet is a vertical lifting bar 57 nor mally drawn downwardly by a pull spring 58. In the lower end of the bar 57 is a vertical slot 59 through which extends a pin 60 mounted in one arm 61 of a bell-crank lever that is pivoted at its elbow on a pin 62 in a frame plate 63 at- 1 pivotally connected at 66 to one of the upturned arms 43' of the cooking bail 43. On the upper end of the bar 5'? is a horizontal ledge 57 that, in practice, is raised by a hand lever (not shown) acting through a deposited coin. Manifestly,

jwhen the bar 57 has been lifted sufficiently to bring the lower end of the slot 59 into engagement with the pin 60, the described mechanism acts to swing the cocking bail outwardly to the position shown in Fig. 4, in which cocked position .it is locked by the cooperating stop pin 51 and stop lug 52. As soon as the coin is discharged, the bar 57 returns, under the pull of spring 58 to the position shown.

If it be attempted to manipulate the machine without first setting the cocking ball as last described, no package is delivered for the manifest reason that the pawl 46 has not been set into a position to cooperate with the toe of the star wheel escapement lever. When, however, the

jcocking bail has been set to a position to oper atively condition the delivery 'mechanisms, as shown in Fig. 4, if one of the buttons 22 be pushed inwardly, the foot 37, which is holding the pawl 46 depressed, slides over the latter permitting the pawl to rise to the position shown in Fig. 3, but behind the toe 20 of the escapement lever 20. The same movement of the trigger 34 releases the stop mechanism of the cooking bail, as above described, so that as the latter swings back, the nose of the pawl strikes the lower end of the escapement lever swinging the latter outwardly, releasing the star Wheel, and permitting a single package to drop. As soon, how ever, as the escapement lever has been released by the pawl, it is instantly drawn back into engagement with the next point of the star wheel by the spring 21.

Referring now to the interlocking mechanism that controls the operation of the several delivery devices and prevents the simultaneous operation of any two or more of said devices, and referring principally to Figs. 1, 2 and 5, pivotally mounted at 6'7 on the horizontal limb of an angle bracket 68 (Fig. 5) is an interference plate 69 formed witha pivot shank 69' and with slightly rounded shoulders 69 on its opposite sides that lie directly in front of the two adjacent suspension triggers 34. A spring '70 connected at one end to the rear portion of the plate 69 and anchored at its other end to the frame plate 12 normally maintains 5 the plate 69 in the central position shown in Fig. 2. When one of the triggers 34 is pushed forwardly it strikes the opposed shoulder 69 and rocks the plate so that the other shoulder 69 is pressed against the other trigger 34 and the latter is locked against movement. If the two push buttons 22 that are associated with the two triggers 34 be simultaneously pressed inwardly, both triggers will strike the shoulders 69 and the plate 69 thus functions as a lock to prevent a sufiicient movement of the push buttons to actuate the delivery devices pertaining thereto. This last described mechanism is duplicated on both sides of the machine, as clearly shown in Fig. 2; and in association with the two pivoted locking plates 69 I provide a simple mechanism which prevents the simultaneous action of either the two outside push buttons or the two intermediate push buttons or alternate push buttons, consisting of the following. 71 designates a yoke bar that is vertically pivoted centrally thereof on a pivot stud 72 mounted in a bracket '73 attached to the rear side of the frame plate 12. Mounted on each end of the yoke bar 71 as by screws'74 is a block '75 that is preferably formed on its front side with a low protuberant boss 75' normally lying between a pair of studs 76 on the plate 69. If either or both of the push buttons 22 on one side of the machine be operated, the bar 71 will be tilted to force the boss 75' at the other end of the bar between the two studs 76 on the plate 69 pertaining to the two push buttons at the other side of the machine, thus making it impossible to operate either of the delivery devices on said other side. Should it be attempted to simultaneously operate any three or all four of the delivery devices, the two blocks 75 cooperating with the studs 76 manifestly block any tilting movement of both plates 69, thus preventing an operative stroke of any of the triggers 34.

In Fig. 3 I have illustrated a simple device for blocking an attempt to set the cocking bail 43 to operative position otherwise than by raising the bar 5'? in the regular manner. Pivoted at its lower end on the pin 60 is an arm 77 formed in its upper end with a notch 77 normally underlying a pin '78 mounted on the plate 63. Any attempt to cook the bail 43 otherwise than through the lifter bar 5'? necessarily raises the of a horizontal shoulder 57 on the bar 57 below the pivot pin 60 engaging with a laterally projecting lug 7'7 on the lower portion of the arm 77. The arm '77 is normally maintained in the position shown by a pull spring 79 anchored at one end to the lower end of arm 77 and at its fit led

other end to the lower end of the bell crank lever arm 63.

In machines of this character efforts to. cheat the machine are sometimes made by moving the actuating lever of the coin-controlled conditioning mechanism less than a full stroke and then operating the article delivery device. Since such abbreviated movement of the'hand lever usually does not discharge the coin, it is thus possible, by repeated abbreviated movements of the lever, to secure several packages or articles from the machine by the use of a coin intended to purchase but a single article. To defeat this practice, it is quite customary to equip machines of this character with devices in the nature of full stroke compelling mechanisms; and in Figs. 1, 2 and 3 I have herein illustrated such a mechanism adapted to the present machine. designates a flat bar that extends across the rear edges of the several escapement levers 20 above the pivotal axis of the latter and is supported for swinging movement by arms 81 that are pivoted on the rod 19. This bar normally tends to fall away from the escapement levers by gravity, and its lower edge is normally supported at one end thereof on the free end of a lever 82 (Fig. 3), which lever is pivoted on a stud 83 on the frame 63. The lever 82 is normally urged upwardly, so as to swing the bar 80 into contact with the escapement levers 20, by a pull spring 84 connected at its lower end to the lever 82 and at its upper end anchored to a lug 63' on the plate 63. The bar 80 at one end is formed with an upwardly and rearwardly inclined catch finger 80 that, as the bar 80 is swung by the lever 82 into engagement with the escapement levers 20 (as shown by dotted lines in Fig. 3) cooperates with a latch 85 formed on the upper end of a lever 86 that is pivoted at 87 on the plate 63. A pull spring 88 connected at its lower end to the rear end of lever 86 and anchored at its upper end to a hook 89 on the plate 63 normally tends to swing the lever 86 downwardly and forwardly to carry the latch 85 into engagement with the catch finger 80. The lower end of the lifter bar 57 is formed with a laterally projecting foot 90 that overlies the upper edge of the lever 86 rearwardly of its pivot 87, and also the upper edge of lever 82 forwardly of its pivot 83. The pull of the spring 58 is stronger than the combined pulls of springs 8e and 88, so that the foot 96 normally maintains both levers in the positions shown in Fig. 3, further downward movement of lever 82 being blocked by the en agement of the rear arm of said lever with a stop lug 91 formed on the plate 63,

and the downward swing of lever 86 being normally limited by its engagement with the foot 90. In the operation of this mechanism, as the bar 57 is raised, its foot 90 is lifted out of engagement with the levers 82 and 86, and the lever 32 rises pushing the locking bar 80 against the backs of the escapement levers 20, and at the same time the lever 86 descends carrying the latch 85 behind the catch finger 80. The escapement levers 20 are thus locked against disengagement from their respective star wheels until the lifter bar 57 has been fully raised and then again permitted to descend. The final portion of the descending movement brings the foot 90 again into engagement with the levers 82 and 86, restoring them to the position shown in Fig. 3, and thus allowing the locking bar 801*.0 drop away from the escapement levers, freeing the latter. Hence, if any attempt be made to operate the delivery devices when the lifter bar 57 has made less than a full stroke, the locking bar 80 effectively balks any such attempt.

I claim as my invention: 7

1. In a vending machine, a plurality of goods compartments, separate normally inoperative devices for effecting delivery from said compartments, normally inoperative means for simultaneously shifting all of said devices into position for operation, manually operable members for respectively operating said devices through said positioning means, means controlled by the operation of any one of said members for preventing the operation of any of the others, and means controlled by the operation of any one of said members for restoring said positioning means to normal inoperative condition. 2. In a vending machine, a plurality of goods compartments, separate normally inoperative devices for effecting delivery from said compartments, normally inoperative means, including a member common to all of said devices, for simultaneously shifting all of said devices into position for operation, manually operable means for respectively operating said devices through said member, means controlled by the operation of any one of said manually operable means for preventing the operation of any of the others, and means 'controlledby the'operation of any one of said manually operable means for restoring said ccmmonpositioning member to normal inoperative condition.

3. In a vending machine, a plurality of goods compartments, separate, normally inoperative, delivery devices for said compartments, setting means for simultaneously shifting all of said devices into position for operation, manually operable members for effecting the operation of any one of said devices when positioned by said setting means, interlocking means for preventing the simultaneous operation of two or more of said members, and means operated by each of said members for restoring said setting means and said delivery devices to their normal inoperative position.

a. In a vending machine, a plurality of goods compartments, individual ejectors therefor, normally inoperative actuators for said ejectors, a common member for shifting all'oi said actuators into position for operation, manually operable members for effecting the operation of said actuators and for restoring the same and said shifting member to their normal inoperative positions, and interlocking devices actuated by each of said members for preventing the operation of the other members.

5. In a vending machine, a plurality of goods compartments, individual ejcctors therefor, a swinging operating member having a separate actuator for each of said ejectors, manually operable d-evices, each arranged to effect the operation of said member and of one of said actuators, and means operated by. each of said devices for preventing the operation of the other of said devices.

6. In a vending machine, a plurality of goods compartments, separate normally inoperative delivery devices for said compartments, means common to all of said devices for shifting the same into position for operation, means for preventing the operation of said delivery devices during the positioning operation, and means controlled by the operation of any one of said devices for preventing the operation of the others and for restoring said setting means to normal inoperative condition.

7. In a vendingmachine, a plurality or" goods compartments, individual ejectors therefor, a common operating member movable between operative and inoperative positions and having separate actuators for said ejectors, means for setting said member to operative position, manually operable devices, each arranged to effect the operation of said member and of one of said actuators, means for preventing the operation of said devices during the setting of said operating member and interlocking means for preventing the simultaneous operation of more than one of said devices.

8. In a vending machine, a plurality of goods compartments, individual ejectors for said compartments, normally inoperative actuating means for said ejectors adapted to be conditioned for operation, means for conditioning said actuating means for operation, manually operable members arranged in pairs and each controlling said actuating means to restore the same to normal inoperative condition and effect the operation of one of said ejectors, an interlocking device between the members of each pair operatively independent of the interlocking device between the members of any other pair, and an interlocking device between each pair of members and another pair to prevent the operation of more than one of said members.

9. In a vending machine, a plurality of goods compartments, an escapement controlled ejector for each compartment, a normally inoperative member having a series or" actuators for said ejectors, means for setting said member in operative condition, means for preventing the operation of said ejectors during the setting of said member, a series of manually operable devices each arranged to effect the restoring of said memher to normal and the operation of one of said actuators, and interlocking means operated by each of said devices to prevent the operation of another of said devices.

10; In a vending machine, a plurality of goods compartments, manually operable members individual to said compartments, normally inoperative delivery mechanisms controlled by said members for effecting delivery of goods from the corresponding compartment, a common shifter for moving parts of said delivery mechanisms to condition the same for operation, and interlocking means for preventing the simultaneous operation of two or more of said members.

11. In a vending machine, a plurality of goods compartments, a rotary ejector for each compartment, an escapement for each ejector, a

common, normally inoperative member having a series of actuators for said ejectors, means for shifting said member to operative position, a series of manually operable members one for each compartment arranged to restore said member to normal and eifect the operation of one of said actuators, and means for preventing the simultaneous operation of two or more of said members.

12. In a vending machine, a plurality of article compartments, delivery devices individual to each compartment adapted to support a column of articles and release the latter one at a time,-detents individual to each delivery device normally locking the same against movement, a movable normally inoperative member carrying detent release devices, triggers normally holding said detent release devices inoperative, means for setting said movable member to, and looking it in, operative position, and-manually operable members associated with the respective compartments for actuating said triggers to free both said detent release devices and said movable member.

13. In a vending machine, a plurality of article compartments, rotary ejectors individual to each compartment, escapements for the respective ejectors, a normally inoperative cocking-bail extending transversely of said escapements, pawls mounted on said cocking-bail for moving said escapements to release position, triggers normally holding said pawls inoperative, means for shifting said cocking-bail to, and looking it in, operative position, and manually operable devices associated with the respective compartments for actuating said triggers to free both said pawls and said cocking-bail.

14. In a vending machine, a plurality of article compartments, rotary ejectors individual to each compartment, 7 escapements for the respective ejectors, a normally inoperative cocking-bail extending transversely of said escapements, pawls mounted on said cocking-bail for moving said escapements to release position, triggers normally holding said pawls inoperative, means for shifting said cocking-bail to, and looking it in, operative position, manually operable devices associated with the respective compartments :for actuating said triggers to free both said pawls and said cocking-bail, and mechanism controlled by said cocking-bail shifting means for locking said escapements against release movement during the shifting of said cocking-bail to operative position.

EMERY MIHALEK. 

